


Strings on Me

by GoringWriting



Series: Tiefling!Essek AU [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Caleb Widogast, Bisexual Mollymauk Tealeaf, Caleb Widogast Deserves Nice Things, Essek Thelyss Dies, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mollymauk Tealeaf Lives, POV Caleb Widogast, Reincarnation, Tiefling!Essek AU, Tieflings, but he doesn't stay that way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:01:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29651712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting
Summary: Now that things have settled down, Caleb and Molly are set to raise their new adopted reincarnated son Essek. Too bad they didn't know what that would entail.Based on the art work of @starsnart on Tumblr. Specifically this installment is inspired by the art you can find here...https://starsnart.tumblr.com/post/643321082874593280/teau-do-they-have-a-string-tied-to-his-waist-that
Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Series: Tiefling!Essek AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2178927
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	Strings on Me

Caleb sighs and rests his head on the book he had been looking through on child care and Tiefling biology. Marion had helped as much as she could but there are probably differences between genders and Essek is reincarnated, that has to cause some differences in his body, right? However, it’s hard to find information about the Drow and what happens when they come back, after all that would draw attention they don’t want. 

“Caleb? Could you come into the nursery please?” Molly calls out from the room down the hall. A quick jog and stepping over the baby gates finds Caleb walking into the nursery, walls covered in stars, constellations, and harmless arcane symbols. 

The room is empty aside from Molly, standing in the center of the nursery looking around the room in a panic. 

“Molly? What is wrong?” Caleb asks looking at the floor in an attempt to spot Essek. In a room of blue one would think that a purple tiefling, with shocking white hair, and blue eyes would be easy to find. Especially when he can’t help but coo anytime he hears his name. 

“I just gave Essek a bath and I set him down on his changing table to get him dressed, we were going to surprise you with breakfast in the library. But then I turned to grab his clothes for the day and when I turned back around he was gone. I’ve searched the whole room and even the hall. There’s no way he could just vanish! We have those gates specifically to stop him from crawling off!” Molly says, tears in his eyes. 

“It’s alright Molly. He can’t have gone far. We’ll find him,” Caleb says, pressing a kiss right between the eyes. A sound like purring from above their heads draws their attention towards the ceiling. Where Essek is floating just high enough to avoid being seen. 

“Caleb get the chair!” Molly says. Caleb grabs one of the chairs they use for decoration and Molly is suddenly using Caleb’s shoulders to get up on the chair and coax the purring baby tiefling into his arms. 

“There you are Essek. Never do that to mommy again. You’ll make my pretty purple hair go white,” Molly says. 

“You’d still look absolutely stunning,” Caleb says. When he realizes that he said that out loud he’s pretty sure he’s turned the color of his hair. 

“Why Caleb, who knew you were such a flirt,” Molly says, running his fingers through Essek’s hair. Essek coos and begins to slowly float into the air once again. 

“I don’t suppose that’s a typical tiefling ability?” Caleb asks. 

“I’m going to say no, considering none of the other tieflings we know float,” Molly says, placing a hand on Essek’s tummy to keep him in his arms. 

“Well I suppose those gates are now useless. We’ll have to find a new way to keep him out of the library and away from the stairs,” Caleb frowns, making a note to look into hold person glyphs. It’s a bit extreme for baby proofing a tower but...when your child is a reincarnated Drowish war criminal in a Tiefling body who’s to say what is extreme and what is simply necessary. He’ll have to see if Yussa or Allura know of any books on such glyphs and if they know anyone who could teach him to perform the spells. 

“I have a couple of ideas on how to handle Essek’s new skill. Come with me,” Molly says, grabbing Caleb’s hand to head into the room where they keep random knick knacks. 

-Three weeks later-

“So did you ever figure out how to adjust to Essek’s...talent?” Veth asks, from where she is sitting on the couch. Luc passed out next to her after playing with Essek. 

“Actually yes. The glyph idea was shot down because in order for it to work I would need to recharge it after this trouble maker,” Caleb wiggles Essek’s foot, “activates it by escaping. So we decided that instead of gates we would use nets draped from the ceiling. It is a ridiculous method but when you have a floating child you do what you can.”

“And what about keeping Essek...grounded?” Veth asks. 

“I went to see Pumat. He was able to enchant a bracelet for Essek with feather fall. That way he doesn’t get hurt if he floats away from us. We’ve also taken to putting safety pins through his pajamas and the sheets of his crib to keep him down when we’re sleeping,” Caleb says. 

“And what happens if he’s in your arms?” Veth asks.

“Oh that’s an easy one,” Molly says and moves his hand off Essek’s tummy and immediately he starts to float only to stop at head height. 

“Molly simply uses his tail to keep a hold on Essek so he doesn’t go too far. I however lack a tail, and lack mage hand…”

“Do you want me to teach it to you?” Veth asks immediately. 

“No, it’s alright we have another method,” Caleb says, taking Essek from Molly’s hands and holding him and letting him float up only to be stopped above Caleb’s head by the string tied around his waist. 

“I use a string. He is like a little balloon, ja?” Caleb says and they giggle as Essek bobs in the air. 

It makes for one very confused looking baby.


End file.
